It all began in another Brancaster
by AgentBeazley
Summary: Modern AU, where Joe is a professional actor working in a sucessful TV series. He was happy and content with his lot but producers wanted more from his character. That's why they called her. Rated as "T" but it will evolve to "M" on the next chapters


**Welcome to my new 4-part story (well, 3 and the epilogue). The idea comes from a prompt I read at Baxthetics blog on Tumblr (go and check it out): _Imagine person A and B are both actors that have huge crushes on each other, but they both think its unrequited love. Now imagine them being in the same show/movie and then getting assigned to perform a sex scene together._**

 **I hope you enjoy this first chapter and let's see how it goes from here (I have already half-planned the rest). Let me know what you think if you feel like it.  
**

 **Once again, sorry for any mistakes you can find while reading. Normally I check and correct but I usually forget one or two (or a whole freaking dozen! - Sorry)**

 **Disclaimer - I don't own DA and Baxley. I do own the rest of names, but feel free to use it.  
**

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 **Part 1 - The news**

They had chosen to tell him the news first thing in the morning, before doing all that was scheduled for him that day. They had promised him over the phone that it wasn't bad news, just a meeting to discuss about his character. And, as they had said, they weren't bad, but they certainly flustered him for the rest of the day. Luckily for everyone, he was a professional and performed his scenes masterfully.

During his more than twenty-five year old career as a professional actor, he had played a wide varied range of roles: from crazy psychopaths in heart-stopping thrillers to hapless servants on period dramas. Currently, he was playing DI James Graham on the show "Two on Duty" (now on its third season) and to be fair, it had been fairly easy to put himself on the soft-spoken, loner but good natured cop's shoes. He liked him a lot.

His role was partly focused on being the levelheaded, calm "good cop" out of the protagonist duo. On the other hand, his counterpart DI Paul Shay (played by Arthur Dawley) was the complete opposite of Joe; hot-tempered, impulsive and a hopeless womanizer.

Since day one, producers realised the huge potential of having two protagonists, each of them in the other end of the personality spectrum, and the possibility to develop dozens of plots filled with drama, tension and even comedy.

They couldn't have been more right. After two seasons completed now, "Two on Duty" had establised itself as a complete triumph. The ratings and the Bafta Awards proved it and he obviously hoped of a future renewal, as the shooting months gave him plenty of time to do other things such us theatre and independent films.

That and "Two on Duty" was like sailing on a calmless ocean after those hectic 6 years playing William Hartman, the unlucky footman in "Brancaster Fields" a period drama who became a worldwide success since season one. The show allowed him to travel several times across Europe and United States to promote it and he and the rest of the cast gained the status of "international stars"

But that fame, never affected his real life. He was still the same regular bloke who lived in the countryside with his dogs around good neighbours who always respected his privacy.

He loved his life now; calm and still. That's why the news he got from the showrunner unnerved him.

After shooting part of his scenes, he grabbed some lunch to eat in the privacy of his trailer. The rest of his work was supposed to be shot in the late evening so he still had some hours to rest and revise his lines. But the moment he closed the door, both food and the script were forgotten, as his mind replayed over and over again the conversation he had got with the showrunner and the head writer.

 _"Your character is going to get through some development, Joe. The reviews from journalists on magazines and websites and the audience wishes on social media leave no doubt. Everyone love the mysterious "apparently-with-no-personal-life" James Graham". But they want more. I know. I know that you try to stay away from all that, but let me tell you this. If you think all the attention is focused on Arthur's character, you are wrong my friend. People are interested in you and we want to take advantage of that._

 _Joe simply nodded, trying to process all the information and then looked at the head writer_

 _"This season there will be some romance on the horizon for James Graham" the man added arching his eyebrows and smiling wickedly._

 _Joe chuckled but although he tried to get to know more, both men refused to answer, arguing that everything was still in the works._

 _"I can only tell you one thing. The name of the actress we've picked" said the showrunner._

 _"Nice. Do I know her?" he asked, not bothering on hiding his curiosity._

 _"Oh yes. In fact, you've worked with her"_

 _Joe's eyes opened in surprise and although his brain trying to make a speedy list of names from the last 25 years, he never expected the answer they gave him._

 _"Phyllis Baxter"_

And that was all. A name and a surname that lingered the rest of the day behind the lines of his dialogues and the conversations with fellow actors, actresses and staff. Quiet and intense, making itself known every second in silence. Everytime he closed his eyes. Everytime he breathed.

Alone in his trailer, still with the sandwich and the script on both his hands, he realised something for the first time in years. She had always been there. In his mind… and in his heart.

He had known Phyllis Baxter's work for almost fifteen years and admired her deeply since her role as Susan Gately in the show "Teachers", where she played the dry, witty, no-nonsense psychology teacher. He had never had the chance to work with her until "Brancaster Fields" where she played Miss Kate Evans, the Ladyships's maid. She was hired on the third season to replace the previous actress with that role and coinciding with the development of his own character, both of them had lots of scenes together

And that's where admiration became something else; a lovely friendship. Throughout the hours they shared rehearsing they found out that they had a lot of things in common. They liked the same books, films and even had the same sense of humour. He smiled remembering all the laughs they shared behind the scenes, throwing jokes and banters on each other and the rest of the cast.

His eyes diverted towards his phone on the table. On an impulse, he took it and began scrolling down the picture gallery. They had been there for more than three years and they still warmed his heart. He was proud to say that during his career he had meet a lot of people he now considered his friends, but that couldn't be compared with what he felt for the cast of "Brancaster Fields".

They were a family.

His smile got even wider when he spotted a picture of him and his fellow actors John Bates and Tom Branson; the three of them sitting on a bench, still with their "work" clothes and with their arms around each other's shoulders. Then there was a picture of him kissing the cheek of Elsie Hughes, who played the stern but lovable housekeeper…

And then, dozens pictures with her. With Phyllis. In selfies made by themselves, posing and making silly faces… He couldn't help but laugh. He loved all of them. How couldn't he? She was in them, so flawless, so magnificent. His favourite one (if he had to say he had one) was one he had gotten from the official "behind the scenes" pictures. It had been taken by a member of the crew and showed the two of them sitting on a corner, far away from everyone and talking. The caption of the picture said _"Is our 'Baxley' duo sharing some script secret or just gossiping?"_

Frankly he couldn't remember what their conversation had been about. There had been lots of moments like that one, just the two of them. And probably in each othem, he had the same stupid look and smile on his face while listening to her.

When "Brancaster Fields" ended and there was no promotion to be made, everyone followed their own path and although he kept in touch with most of the cast (he even took part in a theatre play with the actresses Anna Smith and Daisy Robinson) he and Phyllis remained closer. They called each other on the phone every other week and met regularly for coffee. He even went to the premiere of the film she took part in right after the end of "Brancaster Fields"

Sadly a year and a half ago, their contact began to wane when she moved to France to shoot a film and then to the States. It hurt him, but eventually he thought it was for the best. Nothing had happened between them in years, so there was no point in crying over spilled milk. Her name and everything about her were buried in the back of his mind as he moved on with his life.

Probably he never realised at that time, but now, glancing at that picture after all this years, everything seemed clearer. What he had felt for her; what he had REALLY felt for her was deeper than just care or a mere crush on a workmate.

Suddenly, memories returned back hitting him like a ton of bricks. Images of him waking up happier knowing he was going to spend the whole day shooting alone with her; him walking around the trailers looking for her just to say _"good morning and have a good day at work"_ ; him smiling like a fool in the set where they shoot the "downstairs" scenes after he had got a message from her, who was miles away, at the castle shooting with the "upstairs" cast.

He left his phone back on the table, closed his eyes and breathed deeply, but gradually a smile began to creep across his face.

She was coming back.


End file.
